Athens County Children Services Newsletter

Referrals of child abuse and neglect can be made by anyone, and the majority of referrals come to us by way of phone. Referrals also arrive by fax, mail and from concerned people that come in to the office. Not all allegations rise to the level to allow us to contact the family, but all concerns are logged and filed. Mandated reporters are notified whether or not the agency took action. They are also notified at case disposition of the child's condition and if any further action was necessary.

Intake workers have thirty days to meet with families, identify strengths, assess needs and make referrals to community resources. The goal is to alleviate risks and strengthen the parents/caregivers ability to protect and care for their children. In cases not involving abuse and neglect, we are able to meet with families only if a parent contacts the agency requesting assistance.

The Intake Unit is comprised of the following:

Two part-time screeners that accept the initial referral and gather as much information as possible about the children and their current situation.

Three workers trained in cases of abuse and neglect who are assigned to specific school districts. This gives them the opportunity to form support networks and gather resources for families in their own neighborhoods.

Two sexual abuse caseworkers, who also share in carrying abuse/neglect cases. Both caseworkers have extensive training and conduct forensic interviews with the Family Violence Investigator.

A Family Violence Investigator (FVI), who is a law enforcement officer housed at ACCS. The FVI is assigned to cases of sexual abuse as well as cases with severe physical abuse allegations.

The sexual abuse caseworkers and the FVI are part of a multi-disciplinary team that work with the Child Advocacy Centerto provide a collaborative effort to effectively interview child victims and provide services and supports to the children and their families.

ACCS is available to answer referrals from the community 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. On weekends, holidays and after-hours we utilize a beeper service with a first response worker and a supervisor on call.

Members of the Intake Unit are available to offer trainings on recognizing child maltreatment to community members and social clubs, as well as mandated training for daycare providers and educators.

We encourage you to call us if you have questions. When we cannot assist you we will try to refer you to someone that can. It truly takes a community to protect all children.

Laura Bobo
Intake Supervisor